We recently surveyed Xantrion engineers to see whether the free upgrade to Windows 10 was something that people should undertake on their own. The answer is that, while Windows 10 is a fine operating system, most users won’t be able to complete the upgrade without some amount of professional troubleshooting.
Putting the upgrade process to the test
Our engineers have upgraded a variety of systems at this point, ranging from custom gaming rigs to stock computers from major manufacturers. The computers also ran the gamut, from brand new to six years old running Windows 7 or 8.1.
COMPUTER UPGRADE SAMPLING
In our experience, only 10% of computers could be upgraded without issue. Conversely, 10% of the upgrades failed entirely, and the systems had to be rebuilt from scratch. The vast majority of computers—80%—worked fine, but the installation process required troubleshooting skills that exceed those of a typical user.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that Windows 10 is a good operating system and you should feel comfortable buying a new computer with it installed; however, if you upgrade an existing system, set aside plenty of time for troubleshooting, problem solving, and installation retries. To mitigate productivity loss while upgrading, midsize organizations with a number of computers will benefit significantly by engaging IT professionals to perform upgrades.
If your company needs help upgrading to Windows 10, Xantrion can help. For a fixed monthly fee, we assume complete responsibility for the reliable, secure operation of your IT infrastructure. Xantrion Certified Support provides a comprehensive suite of services, including network design and implementation, system upgrades, user support, and security management. We ensure your employees can do their best work in the office or on the road.